A Midnight Contract
written by: Verity Mason
Rain misted Chicago with a hushed veil.
Sterling surveyed the penthouse through his sniper scope. He had until midnight, one target, one bullet, and fifty grand wired before sunrise.
The mark moved slowly, bare-chested with a drink in his hand, staring back. He raised his glass and smiled.
Sterling settled his finger on the trigger; a clean shot, a warning shiver snaked up his spine. Zooming in, he exhaled. Easy, until his phone buzzed, lowering his sight, the screen winked brightly: unknown caller. Miss the deadline, and you’re next. He scanned the rooftops, the windows, and the streets below, nothing.
At 11:40 p.m, the phone buzzed again. Tick. Tock.
Cursing, Sterling tore down his firearm, taking the stairs two at a time. His heartbeat steady and cold, he needed to see this through face to face. At 11:58, he slipped into the penthouse, the door ajar, a note taped to the window: Took you long enough. Check the mirror.
Sterling circled, a red dot danced on his chest as the Doomsday Clock struck midnight.
From the shadows, a voice declared in a sharp, precise, and unhurried tone.
“It’s time to bleed. You weren’t the only one with a deadline.”
- A Midnight Contract - September 10, 2026
- The Undercurrent - June 18, 2026
- Hard Copy - April 11, 2026
